Matthew 4: 1-11; Mark 1: 12,13; Luke 4: 1-13
As a child, I was constantly greeted by the aroma of freshly baked bread nearly every day on my way to school. It was no small joy to smell such sweet aroma each time. One may have thought that I would grow to detest bread due to the law of diminishing returns. Not in the least!
There are bread lovers I have heard say, quoting a Bible verse that, “Man shall not live by bread alone”, in a bid to say that they liked to eat bread with other things. The Israelites ate quail flesh and then bread too but that is definitely not what Jesus meant when He made that statement.
What did he really mean?
PROVE YOURSELF
At the appointed time, Jesus got baptized, the Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove and God the father said,
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”
Matthew 3:17 NKJV
After His baptism, Jesus was led to the wilderness by the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 4:1; Mark 1:12). Matthew’s account says it was 40 days and nights fasting; Luke said 40 days being tempted by the devil; Mark even went on to add that there were wild beasts there. Wow! Why did he do 40 though? Let us observe some patterns from the Old Testament.
Pretty Forties
- Israelites wandered 40 years (Deuteronomy 8:2-3)
- Moses fasted on Mount Sinai 40 days and nights (Deuteronomy 9:9-18)
- Elijah spent 40 days and nights with God on Horeb, also called Mount Sinai (1 Kings 19:8)
- Goliath mocked the Israelites and their God for 40 days (1 Samuel 17: 16)
Israelites went through their 40 (a symbol of period of testing and consecration) and FAILED but Jesus SUCCEEDED that we may succeed through Him.
Now, stop! Did you observe that the Devil showed up himself? That didn’t happen so many times in scripture.
Devil’s Appearances
- He temped Eve (Genesis 3: 1-4)
- He troubled Job (Job 1: 9-11)
- Satan stood against the Israelites ( 1 Chronicles 21:1)
- The accuser stood against Joshua (Zechariah 3:1)
The First Temptation
Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread”
Matthew 4:3
Let us now observe the circumstances of the first temptation to see how that statement was used….
The devil goes straight for the present, greatest need; he goes for the deepest desire. A devoted Christian would most likely not be intrigued by someone else’s money; temptation to steal would not work on such. One that may be more suited to him is religious bullying. Plant some religious pride in the Christian and he begins to “murder” other Christians. Scripture says “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed” (James 1:14). We all get served personalized temptations.
Hence, famished Christ was tempted upon the most pressing need at the moment – food.
But is it a Sin to Turn Stone to Bread ?
If I had powers to turn stones to bread, would it be wrong to use those powers to provide food? In this case, the sin is not in the act but the reason for the act.
“I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings”
Jeremiah 17:10 NKJV
Why would it have been a sin for Jesus to turn stone to bread?
- “If you are the Son of God”… The Father had proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God, to yield to this request would be to doubt the Father. The Sin of Doubt
- “these stones become bread”… Jesus came to save the World and not Himself. No way Jesus would surrender to be crucified for sins He didn’t commit if He was thinking about himSELF. The Sin of Self-Exaltation
But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’ “
Matthew 4:4 (quoting Deuteronomy 8:3)
Appetite…. Adam and Eve with filled stomachs went against God’s Word. The Israelites with plenteous providence doubted God’s Promises.
Which is it for me? God’s Word above Life’s pursuits? Are there other activities more pleasurable than a discussion with my heavenly Father, other books more interesting than the Bible, other persons more esteemed than Jesus Christ, other indulgence better than the hope of heaven?
LET THE FATHER PROVE HIMSELF
… “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:
Matthew 4: 6
‘He shall give His angels charge over you’, and ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone’ ” (Psalm 91: 1
“Hey! If You won’t prove yourself, let God the Father confirm He meant what He said. How can you be the Son of God and look so hungry and rejected?” I can only imagine the words my Savior heard just so He could save me and all who accept Him. The devil even went as far as quoting the Scriptures to tempt Jesus to sin.
How do we know we are using the Scriptures rightly? The Bible tells us how: “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little”(Isaiah 28:10). Yes God has promised us Psalm 91:11-12 but in the same chapter, it says it is “Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge , Even the Most High, your dwelling place”( Psalm 91: 9). Jumping off a cliff unprotected is not an act of making God one’s dwelling place.
Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God’ ”
Matthew 4:7 (quoting Deuteronomy 6:16)
Again! Jesus succeeded where the Israelites had failed!
Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, As in the day of trial in the wilderness,
Psalm 95: 8-10
When your fathers tested Me; They tried Me, though they saw My work.
For forty years I was grieved with that generation, And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts, And they do not know My ways
EASY WAY OUT
And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me”
Matthew 4:9
The devil told my Savior that he had another idea, he could help Jesus. Jesus didn’t have to suffer to get His Purpose done, all Jesus had to do was bow and he would help Jesus. All these, to the Creator! Wow!
Again, Jesus chose the Father’s Word, God’s Plan, His will.
Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve’ “
Matthew 4: 10
Jesus is the Second Adam; He is the True Israel and He won on all fronts, for our sake! He didn’t sin, yet He chose to bear the fruits of our evil!
Consider the following powerful words, deep in meaning: But He was wounded for our transgression, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).
It is utterly impossible for us to win by ourselves but Jesus, by His choice, won for us, in us and now seeks to work through us! There is no temptation that “has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Would you allow Him today? Get into that Word this moment and let Him speak to your soul.
My Savior, My Redeemer was ahungered
Forty days, He had prayed and fasted.
The accuser told Him he looked sorrowful;
How could He be the Son and not be full?
Are you sure you are God, the Son?
Prove yourself then, and to bread these stones turn!
If you can't, maybe the Father would You save,
If He wouldn't, bow and my powers You'll Have
The Second Adam by measured weapons resisted temptations
This Israel chose the Word over the World
Was tempted, crushed against the wall but would not tempt God
Now, by His Word, today, I overcome tribulations!
-Temiloluwa.I
Little Tittles 